Flat Line
by Salvatore Shan NW
Summary: When Inuyasha collapses in front of Kagome's house, its a race to find out what's wrong with him. As a hanyou, Kagome didn't think he could even get sick but is he enjoying being ill? Up until he's rushed to hospital, at least.
1. Chapter 1

_Flat Line_

Inuyasha-tachi and others belong to Rumiko Takahashi and Shounen Sunday – not me. Any people I add along the way, namely concerned doctors/surgeons are mine. Heh. So, I know this is probably a terrible idea for a fic – Inuyasha must probably doesn't even _have_ an appendix – but my fics are always shots in the dark.

I know that for general fanfics and doujinshi the idea of Kagome acting all nurse-like to Inuyasha isn't original – I realise that – but I still wanted to give this a shot. Please don't brush it aside. This won't even be as long as I intend – too much for a one-shot but not enough for a full length fic… just like _Erase The Past_ was. Enjoy! I hope…

* * *

Daggers

"_I'm getting _sick_ of looking at you! –Fine, go back to your time – see if I care! I hope you fail _all_ of your stupid 'tests'," _

Inuyasha looked up at the hazy morning sky and frowned, cracking his knuckles as he sat and watched the clouds carve tracks in the blue above. He regretted every single word that had spewed out of his mouth, but he couldn't take them back – not now Kagome was in the future and he was stuck here – in the past.

He narrowed his eyes against the bright sunlight, trying to ignore the feeling of guilt that was slowly worming its way around inside of him – making its presence known. _You're alone, you know? And it's all your fault. _The voice of reason told him nastily. Inuyasha tried to empty his thoughts, but all he could see was the look of hurt on Kagome's face – of her brown eyes widening in disbelief.

And… Kagome leaving. Turning away from him, disguising the tears with a curtain of dark hair. Running – running and not coming back.  
Inuyasha clenched his fists. He tried to ignore the pain that was eating its way across his heart – the emotional pain – and in his side – the not so emotional pain. The all-too-real pain.

But apart from that, and his argument with Kagome, it had just been a regular day – if ever there was one. But earlier he'd snapped when Kagome had told him she was leaving, all because he'd had this sudden twinge of pain for one instant and he was afraid. Afraid because he didn't know what it meant – didn't know what it was or where it had come from.

Kagome was deserting him, right when he wanted answers. The pain had come frequently after that – stabbing pains in his right hand side that numbed all else and made him feel hollow inside.

He rubbed his side absently now, but he couldn't for the life of him decide what it was. For some reason he felt as if her were being continuously stabbed along his waist, down to his hip and just below – slowly arcing away towards his back and making it possible for him to move without gasping for breath.

That was why he was sat on the floor now. It hurt for him to stand and keep a straight posture. He couldn't even move from the position he was sitting, because he knew the pain would flair up even more.  
Eventually, Inuyasha gave up on trying to ignore the pain. It was definitely there and definitely staying.

His grip tightened on Tessaiga as he tried to vent his anger and hurt, his eyebrows furrowing as he gritted his teeth. He couldn't understand it. He hadn't been in a fight recently that could have seriously hurt him – thanks to Kagome's exams they'd had to backtrack from their shard hunting and make their way back to the well.

Now she was at home, it was time for the group to relax. But Inuyasha wasn't relaxing. Far from it.

On another note, whatever those 'test' things were, Inuyasha hoped the prospect of studying for them had calmed Kagome down. They, and the argument, were the reason she wasn't here – now.

An explosion of pain shot down his waist to his hip, and Inuyasha slammed his eyes shut, slowing rocking as his body tensed up. When he tried to release, he couldn't. His body was locked up. Inuyasha's rocking got so dangerous that he found himself falling back onto the grass with a soft thud.

His head was pounding and the world wouldn't stay still. The ache in his side was throbbing and it was paralysing him – numbing his entire body until he couldn't feel anymore. Bile rose in Inuyasha's throat. He'd never felt so weak or vulnerable before.

"Inuyasha! Inuyasha, are you okay?" a high-pitched voice called in the distance. Shippo.  
Inuyasha opened his eyes to see the kitsune running over, his expression concerned under wild, fiery hair.

Inuyasha waved a hand, angrily, in the child's direction. "I'm fine!" he snapped, creasing his face up as the pain suddenly grew. Inuyasha found that the paralysis was easing. He attempted to sit up, but failed. When he saw Shippo was closer, he waved his hand again. Shippo didn't pay any attention. He kept running forward, staring at Inuyasha with wide green eyes.

The soft patter of footsteps got louder as the kitsune got closer. In no time at all he was standing above Inuyasha with an unintelligible look on his face, his arms folded. Shippo frowned. "You're not 'fine'. You look kinda sick," he put in.

Inuyasha attempted so sit up again, but he didn't make it far enough. He clutched his side in agony and snarled at Shippo. "It's nothing, okay? I'm… I'm just thinking!"

Shippo raised an eyebrow and his eyes narrowed almost in satisfaction. He had seen the look of pain on Inuyasha's face, but he took it in his stride and felt like poking some fun at the hanyou. "Dreamin' about _Kagome_?" he asked, sneakily.

Inuyasha growled. The tenseness eased and he leant over, supporting himself with his right arm. He thumped the small fox-demon on the head…. and then recoiled – lowering his head as he sucked in breaths of air.

Shippo let out a wail and clutched his scalp. "Agh! Inuyasha, you meanie!"  
But Inuyasha wasn't listening. He was still managing to prop himself up, but he was panting for breath. He was struggling to breathe.  
His vision was going blurry and the pain was getting worse – it felt as if he was being ripped in two, someone stabbing him with a blunt dagger over and over, making his pain last. It was torture.

Shippo let go of his head and stared at Inuyasha with open worry. He started poking the half-demon, testily. "Inuyasha… What's wrong, are you–?" he began, but he was cut off when Inuyasha took a sudden gasp for breath, trying to bat the kid away.

"I'm… fine–!" he rasped out, trying to knock Shippo away. The demon child wouldn't budge. He side-stepped Inuyasha's waves and crept forward, reaching forward to check Inuyasha's temperature – putting a hand on his forehead, fingers brushing aside silver strands of hair.

Shippo's face was a mask. He looked as if he really understood what was going on, but in fact he hadn't a clue. He stared at Inuyasha critically and pulled his hand away, suddenly looking afraid. "I'm… gonna get the others," he mumbled before running off – turning on his heel and heading in the direction of the village.

Inuyasha gritted his teeth, baring his fangs. He clutched onto Tessaiga tighter and pounded his sword on the floor in fury. "Damn you, Shippo – don't _leave_ me!" he screamed.

And then the world started flickering.

Inuyasha rolled in and out of consciousness as the scenery dissolved around him, leaving only after-images of what-had-been in a world of darkness. And when he came to again, it seemed everything had changed. The same happened again and again until he was sure he had died.

He couldn't see properly… everything was going dim…  
"Shit," he frowned, shutting his eyes to stop the ever-changing world. He felt sick; the bile rising in the back of his throat was making his mouth burn. He realised, distantly, that he was swaying. His arm was shuddering – he couldn't support himself any longer.

Inuyasha could feel the heat coming off of his own body. He hadn't realized he had a fever – and now that he realised it, his morals were still yelling at him not to depend on anyone. He hadn't before, and he wouldn't now. Except…

He had to find Kagome. He had to see her – he _had_ to. Today was one of her 'Sundays' and she was going back to study for the exam the next day, so she would still be at home – right?  
Inuyasha didn't see it as depending on Kagome when he went to her for help. He didn't know why, but he didn't feel so useless when Kagome was around.

He knew that if he went to her now, she would probably take care of him. Force him to rest while she ran about, worrying. Okay, maybe he was expecting too much – maybe she would still be mad at him, regardless. He didn't know, but he wanted to be gone before the others came running to his aid.

He knew if he didn't get moving soon he would just faint. He could feel the fringes of fatigue grasping at him even now, trying to drag him down to the pits of slumber. But he wouldn't give them the satisfaction. He was stronger than that.

The well wasn't far from his spot on the floor – he'd been waiting for Kagome to return so he could apologize… in his own way.  
He turned to look, and then began to crawl to the well – hissing in pain and trying to breathe.

He was against the well now. One job done. Now, to just climb in…  
He tugged at the side of it, hoisting himself up as he rasped for breath.  
"K– K– K– K…" he stammered, thinking only of who waited for him on the other side as he tried to pull himself up over the well.  
He was dreading the fall – he didn't know whether he could clamber out the other side.

_I'm pathetic, _he thought, scowling. Then he lost all feeling in his fingers and unintentionally let go of the side of the well – hurtling into darkness.

* * *

Kagome ran the brush through her hair for about the tenth time, scowling in a very unpleasant way.

"_I'm getting _sick_ of looking at you!" _she recalled Inuyasha saying, and her stomach knotted up in anger. Baka, he knew she would never _hate_ him – so he thought he could say whatever he wanted to anger her. She knew she should've sat him, she knew it was the right thing to do. But she also knew it would hurt him more if she didn't.

She'd even waited in the well house for him to come back and apologize. But she should've known he would never apologize. He was probably expecting _her_ to do it.  
Kagome slammed the brush down on her desk, her eyes narrowing. _Baka, Inuyasha! _

She folded her arms, her eyes dark. Even if he came crawling back to her now she wouldn't forgive him. He'd have to beg and plead on one knee – after apologizing of course.  
Kagome couldn't imagine Inuyasha doing any of those things. So it looked like he was in for a long period of what Kagome called the 'silent treatment'.

That moment, she heard a thud outside as if something – or some_one_ – had collapsed. A bubble of fear exploded inside of her, and she didn't even understand why. Dark thoughts were entering her head. Her window was wide-open, the curtain billowing about the frame, and she could easily see what was going on outside if she looked out.

She didn't dare – afraid of what she'd see. Instead, she rushed out of her room and took the stairs two at a time in her haste. Her heart was pounding somewhere in her throat and her blood was roaring in her ears. _What is this bad feeling? Why am I so afraid? _She wondered briefly as she bolted out of the back door.

But then she knew why she had felt like that. Because her fears had come true. Lying sprawled on the 'courtyard' ground, was Inuyasha – his face pressed to the floor and his hair lying around him in waves. He wasn't moving.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome cried, running over and dropping down beside him. _If he's just playing a game… just trying to make me forgive him while he plays dead like a stupid dog… _But this wasn't pretend.

Kagome rolled him over and saw that his eyelids were twitching, his mouth open in a hiss of pain. His breaths were coming short and fast – he was hyperventilating. He had a major fever and his body was tense.

"K– K– Kago… Kagome…" Inuyasha breathed, his eyes still shut.  
Kagome's bottom lip wobbled. Then she did the only thing she could think of doing. "Mama!" she called at the top of her lungs. "Mama!"

That moment, the whole of the Higurashi family came running out of the house, dumfounded. When they saw Inuyasha's head resting in Kagome's lap, struggling to breathe, Mama gasped and ran forward with Grandpa at her side.

Kagome looked down at Inuyasha, afraid. His hand was now clutching the hem of her skirt, gripping onto it tight and opening and closing with the movements of his chest. _Can't he–? Can't he remember how to _breathe

"A wet flannel," Mama announced, fearfully – running off to the kitchen. Again, Grandpa followed wordlessly – he too afraid.  
Kagome propped Inuyasha up against her and brushed his fringe out of his eyes. "Breathe with me, Inuyasha. Take a deep breath," she said hurriedly, taking over-exaggerated, deep breaths to help the hanyou breathe.

At first, Inuyasha's breathing just quickened, and then he started to breathe in unison with Kagome – though at times he was out of sync. Then his body was no longer tense and he fell back like a rag doll in Kagome's arms, limp. Beads of sweat hovered on his brow as he took slow breaths, wheezing.

Mama Higurashi ran out with a cloth and placed it on Inuyasha's forehead, before waving at Grandpa – who wished to do _something_. He bent down next to Inuyasha and attempted to lift him, when Mama and Kagome took the other side of Inuyasha and raised him in the air – heading towards the house.

Kagome's heart beat extra fast, and it pounded as if wanting to break free from its cage. Inuyasha was sick – really sick. She had never known him like this, and he wouldn't willingly come running for help unless he feared… _Feared for his life_, Kagome's mind finished. She gulped back the urge to gasp out loud, and carried on helping her family carry Inuyasha up to her bedroom.

She had a foreboding feeling interweaving with the fear growing inside her heart.

"Inuyasha, please be all right," she whispered under her breath, mounting the stairs to the second floor with Inuyasha in tow.  
Inuyasha's face was blank as he slipped from consciousness. He was falling into a dark void that no one could pull him out of – that no one could save him from.

He was banished in darkness. Alone. And someone was still shooting daggers.


	2. Chapter 2

_Flat Line_

Inuyasha-tachi and others belong to Rumiko Takahashi and Shounen Sunday – not me. Any people I add along the way are mine.

Are you concerned yet? Hope you liked the last chapter, now on with this one!  
By the way, the reason why I may be overdramatic is that – come on, this is a fic! You're entitled to be overdramatic right? I know fully well what having this pain is like, because I had it myself last week and it's starting up again now.

Hopefully it really isn't appendicitis like my mum and my doctors feared. But Inuyasha may not be as fortunate. Wait and see.

* * *

Saved By An Angel

Inuyasha woke up to the feeling of soft sheets and a comfy mattress beneath him. When his eyes snapped open he was lying in Kagome's bed, propped up by two or three pillows. Kagome was sat on the floor, soaking a flannel in a bowl of water.

Inuyasha opened his mouth and then shut it. For some reason, he wanted to close his eyes and see what Kagome's reaction would be – he wanted to listen to her, to see if she revealed anything while he supposedly 'slept'. Not that he knew what kind of things she would _reveal_. He was about to close his eyes once more, when Kagome looked up and caught his eyes.

She sucked in a breath, and then timidly smiled. "You're awake," she observed, brushing back a few strands of hair.  
Inuyasha blinked twice and then looked around, confused as to how he had gotten here in the first place.

He remembered somehow crawling out of the well, and then staggering towards the Higurashi household before falling flat on his face. And then… Kagome was at his side – placing his head on her lap and brushing his hair out of his face, helping him to breathe and smoothing everything over like he knew she would.

_Kagome_…  
She _had_ forgiven him, right? Otherwise he wouldn't be here in her room, staring at her without her yelling at him in some ridiculous way. No. She was smiling, and was placing the water bowl on her bedside table before reaching up and placing the flannel she'd been soaking on Inuyasha's forehead.

He sucked in a breath when he realised how cold it was, then recovered. Kagome continued to watch him, and then sat up on the bed next to him. She appeared concerned. Inuyasha had known she would worry.

He still felt guilty about this morning. Inuyasha put his hand on hers, his eyes shining. "Kagome, about this… this morning–" he gasped out between breaths, mentally cursing. He was still finding breathing hard, for reasons he couldn't understand.

Kagome smiled. "It's okay. You were like this then, weren't you? You felt ill earlier and you got upset when I said I was leaving,"

Inuyasha nodded, then lurched forward and coughed, sickly. Kagome looked afraid for a moment, and then rubbed his back, smiling faintly. "I should've noticed. So what's wrong? You've got a fever – is that all that's bothering you?"

"–Pain," Inuyasha rasped, motioning to his side and running a finger down his abdomen. Kagome seemed confused and then she realised what he was saying. And it wasn't in a good place to feel pain.  
"Take off your clothes," she said, seriously.

Inuyasha choked, and then spun to look at her – his body tensing up at the sudden movement. "_What_?" he hissed.  
"Take off your kimono, I didn't say anything about your trousers – I need to see your side,"

Inuyasha narrowed his eyes for a few seconds and then gave up, wincing in pain as he took off his haori and then his kimono. He folded his arms and fell back against the pillows, looking away from Kagome. Now that he felt a little better after some rest, he could go back to his stubborn self.

Kagome ignored him and touched his right side, gently. Inuyasha shivered, but said nothing. She moved down to just above his hip and pressed a little harder. His expression crumpled only slightly. She moved slightly left and below his hip, her fingers slipping beneath the line of his trousers – dangerously close to something extremely sensitive that Inuyasha didn't want her to touch… _yet_.

He almost leapt in the air, had the pain in his side not stopped him. "What the _hell_ are you–?"  
Kagome pressed down on the spot and Inuyasha's eyes widened. The pain shot from the spot underneath her fingers and he howled in agony, lurching backwards as it reached up from his abdomen to the rest of his lower body.

Kagome drew her hands away. "You're all knotted up. And tender. It's not good," she frowned, watching his face. Inuyasha looked like he was about to retch. He writhed in pain, still feeling the force of the press against his abdomen.

Kagome stood up, unsure of what to do now. "Stay here," she told him, before slipping out of her room. Inuyasha called angrily after her: "I'm not going anywhere!"  
When he realised she was gone, he remembered the horrified feeling when her fingers had brushed his abdomen. When he shivered, he realised how afraid he'd been.

A blush crept up across his cheeks, while the rest of his face remained pale. His heart had pounded for a minute there, and he had wondered whether Kagome had been really looking for something wrong with him, or whether it was just an excuse.

But he had been teasing himself, nothing more. He tightened the bow on his trousers, frowning. He could still feel her touch, the sensation making goose-bumps appear on his skin. Another pleasant shiver ran down his spine, and he tried to listen to Kagome's conversation downstairs on the phone.  
As a hanyou it wasn't hard, but he'd gotten used to blocking unnecessary sounds out. He had to battle with his senses for a moment before anything made sense.

"…He says it's along his right side, just above and below his hip – around that area… Yeah, that was what I was afraid of. It can't be–? He _is_ having breathing problems but… O- kay? Right. Thanks. Bye,"

Kagome's voice drifted into nothingness. Inuyasha heard her place something down on the table and then her footsteps were echoing up the stairs. In a moment her head peered round the door, her dark hair framing her face. Her eyes shone in the afternoon sunlight.

Wait. _Afternoon_?  
Inuyasha briefly realised he had been unconscious since early in the morning till midday. He mentally cursed and thought, for the second time that day, how pathetic he was.

Kagome was at his side, and he looked up to see her smiling meekly. "I just called the helpline. They're sending a house-call doctor out to see you, so we've got to cover your ears somehow,"

Inuyasha stared dumbly. "You called a doctor? Why?"  
Kagome pointed a finger in his face, scowling. "Don't play the idiot, Inuyasha. You are seriously sick, mister,"  
Inuyasha grabbed her jabbing finger midair until, in effect, he was clutching her hand. He stared into her eyes, amber on brown, in an unending gaze.

Kagome suddenly realised how pale he was. She smiled. "You're afraid of doctors?" she asked.  
Inuyasha's eyes narrowed and his grip on her hand tightened. "No. I'm afraid of what doctors _do_. The power they have over people. Deciding what to cut off and everything – you know what I mean,"

Kagome laughed and caressed his hand with her thumb without even realising it. "Don't be silly, Inuyasha. They aren't going to cut anything off,"  
Inuyasha felt the goose-bumps return for a moment, and then he calmed down. "Good," was all he said, but inside he was still afraid.

Many doctors had come to see Mother when she was ill, and they had all said she was healthy. All of them. And Inuyasha had still watched his mother die of an illness when she supposedly had 'nothing wrong with her'. They'd said she was overreacting… but she had been dying under their noses.

Inuyasha had always been weary of doctors as a result, even healers. It had been hard to trust Jinenji, and had been especially hard when Kagome, Miroku and Sango had 'died' after Renkotsu's attack. No matter how he tried to reason with himself, he had a natural distrust of doctors and healers that wouldn't shift.

Kagome was pottering about in her wardrobe now, looking for something. Inuyasha watched her for a moment, but then fell back against the pillows and shut his eyes. The pain didn't come until he moved, so if he lied perfectly still…  
Kagome turned when she found her missing item. She was about to say something, but then her expression changed to immediate concern.

"Are you okay?" she asked suddenly, seeing him lying stiff as a board. Inuyasha nodded wordlessly, shifting atop the sheets.  
Kagome stepped over and wrapped something around his head. Inuyasha's eyes fluttered open. Kagome finished tying the anonymous cloth and smiled, satisfied.

"It'll do."  
Inuyasha reached up and touched the cloth once, then sighed. "You're sure this 'doctor' won't take it off?"  
Kagome's face creased up at the thought. "I hope not. I remember once, when I went to the doctors, he checked my temperature through this thing he put in my ear. I hope he takes my word for it and sees you've got a fever… though he wouldn't be doing his job properly,"

"He?" Inuyasha repeated.  
Kagome nodded. "Yep. He's a young doctor, apparently. The helpline nurse said so on the phone."  
Inuyasha's eyes darkened and he clenched his fists. "_Young_ doctor? How young?"

"Must be in his twenties or something. Does it matter?"  
"I don't know, you tell me," Inuyasha frowned.  
Kagome smiled. _He's so cute when he's jealous…_

Inuyasha looked away, averting his eyes. "How long will he be?" he asked, not really caring.  
Kagome shrugged. "I told the nurse you were pretty bad. She said he'd come right away. They often come running when you mention your append–"

She stopped suddenly and then smiled, waving her arms. "Uh, what am I saying? They're just concerned, so they're coming–"  
"'They come running when you mention–_' what_?" Inuyasha scowled, his eyes dancing in the sunlight flickering through the open window.

Kagome looked uncertain, not really wanting to tell him, but then she sighed. "When you mention your _appendix_. It's an organ you don't really need. I don't exactly know what it does, except sometimes it… it can explode,"

Inuyasha's eyes widened but he recovered quickly. "Explode?" he mumbled, feeling numb inside. He automatically pressed a hand against his side, probing for the pain.  
Kagome nodded. "Yeah. I didn't think, as a hanyou, yours would explode – or I didn't think you would you even _have_ one,"

Inuyasha's eyes narrowed but he didn't say anything. He let Kagome continue. The girl took a deep breath, and then went on. "But if surgeons don't remove it in time – when it's about to explode… you can die. If you're fit and healthy, you can live, but… well, not all the time."

Inuyasha clutched his side tighter, looking down at the bed sheets. "And that's… what's wrong with me? My appendix has… exploded?"  
Kagome sat down next to him and locked her fingers in his, smiling. "No. Your appendix hasn't exploded. We don't know what's wrong with you until the doctor gets here,"

Inuyasha sucked in a breath of relief, but he didn't let it show on his face. "Well, I hope he hurries up," he said, sharply.

A voice drifted up from downstairs. "Kagome, the doctor's here! Shall I send him up?" Mama Higurashi called.  
Kagome sighed and patted Inuyasha hand absently. She let go of his hand and stood up. "Yes, Mama!"

She turned back to look at Inuyasha and smiled encouragingly. "It'll be fine," she grinned.  
Inuyasha couldn't help but smile timidly back.

The next moment, a dark head peered around the door and the doctor stepped in, smiling amiably. "Sorry I'm late," he apologized, carrying some form of briefcase. Kagome smiled warmly. "It's fine."

Inuyasha refused to look up, almost as if he were sulking. He was still half-naked from removing his kimono from before and he felt even more exposed now that there was someone else in the room.  
The doctor put his briefcase on the floor and stepped over, looking at Inuyasha with interest.

He was like no doctor Inuyasha had ever seen, just as Inuyasha was like no patient the doctor had ever seen. He stared at Inuyasha's hair, obviously thinking: _bleached_, but when he caught sight of Inuyasha's amber eyes he wasn't so sure.

Inuyasha sat up, feeling as if he had to. That was when the pain flared up again, causing him to tense up all over again and hiss with pain. He clutched his arms around his body and rocked back and forth. Kagome made to say something, but the doctor put a probing hand on the spot where Inuyasha was clutching the most – his claws causing the skin to blossom with blood.

_Sharp nails too… _he thought minutely, before touching the area around his abdomen. Inuyasha snarled and writhed in pain as the doctor pressed even harder than Kagome had, sending bolts of pain up and down his body. His vision was going blurry as it had in the morning.

The doctor pulled his hand away. He studied Inuyasha's face for a moment, then bent down to his suitcase and pulled out an electric thermometer. For a moment Kagome's heart pounded. _No… Not the ears… _

But instead he resorted to sticking it under Inuyasha's arm, making the half-demon even more uncomfortable and making him growl.

Kagome made motions with her hands for him to calm down. Inuyasha sucked in a deep breath and bit down on his tongue, not liking the feel of the strange instrument beneath his arm.  
The doctor pulled it out and looked at the temperature before shaking his head. It wasn't good. The boy was running a high fever – extremely high.

A fever plus pains in the lower abdomen wasn't good. It made up the symptoms of appendicitis – but without the other symptoms he couldn't be sure. He would've just left it as stomach cramp had it not been for the dramatic temperature coming off from the boy.

He turned to face Kagome and tried to sound reassuring. "He seems fine for the moment. If he starts to vomit or cough up blood then I would take him immediately to the hospital, understand?"

Kagome nodded. There were other symptoms too, she knew, but she guessed these were the main ones. And she knew, just by looking at Inuyasha, that at times he wanted to throw up. He wouldn't admit it thought, not even to himself. She would have to watch over him. Out loud, Kagome sighed and showed the doctor out.

When she came back, Inuyasha sniffed. "What a waste of time," he scowled, falling back onto the bed. Kagome nodded, and then she smiled. "Do you want a drink? I can get you some medicine – maybe that will make you feel better."

Inuyasha waved a hand in a stubborn from of agreement and then shut his eyes – trying to let sleep take him. It wouldn't come. Kagome left the room and Inuyasha felt the loneliness envelope him now that she was gone. He wished she would just stay at his side, but she kept running back and forth doing things for him that would make him 'better'.

He frowned. In a couple of minutes she was back with a glass of orange juice and a tablet she called 'ibuprofen' – whatever that meant. Inuyasha swallowed it down with the juice and then let her remove the bandana.

The sun was ducking beneath the horizon outside. It was getting late.  
Kagome looked to the window, almost wistfully, and seemed distant for a moment – her dark hair framing her face. Inuyasha looked at her then and thought: _I was saved by an angel. _After thinking that, however, he realised it was so soppy and romantic that he felt even worse.

He folded his arms, pouting. Then seemed to realise for the first time that he was in Kagome's bed. So if he was in _her_ bed… where was she going to sleep tonight?  
"Kagome, where are you sleeping tonight?" Inuyasha asked her, glancing down at Kagome who was sat on the floor – her knees together.

She looked up, and then her warm brown eyes sparkled. "Oh, Mama's bringing me up some blankets. I'll be on the floor, next to you,"  
Inuyasha didn't like the idea of Kagome sleeping on the carpet. He'd sat there for the whole night and it had turned him numb – so how would _sleeping_ on it affect her, a human?

"Uh uh," Inuyasha frowned. "_I'll_ sleep on the floor. You have the bed,"  
Kagome looked dumbstruck, and then she shook her head. "No, you're ill. Besides, you've taken up my bed before without caring about me…"  
"Not willingly! Listen, Kagome, I'll feel bad if you wake up cramped up in the morning…"

Kagome sighed. "No, Inuyasha. Really, it's fine,"

She looked away, ending the conversation there, but Inuyasha wouldn't give up easily. He looked down at the bed, and suddenly an idea struck him. He looked back up at Kagome. "This bed's big enough for two if I move over. We can share…"

Kagome looked like she was choking on the air she breathed. "What?" she muttered, her voice barely above a whisper.  
Inuyasha shrugged. "That way you can see if anything is wrong with me, and watch over me, right? And we both sleep comfortably tonight. We both win,"

"I don't know…"  
"It doesn't _mean_ anything," Inuyasha snapped, suddenly coming back to his normal aggravated self. "I'm just thinking about _you_, that's all,"

Kagome stared blankly for a few more moments, and then stood up. "Fine," she pouted, making her way over to her wardrobe and taking out a set of pyjamas before storming out of the room to get changed in the bathroom. Inuyasha watched her go, wondering why there was a feeling of triumph and excitement rising up inside of him.

He tried to squash it down, but it wouldn't budge. All he kept thinking was that he and Kagome were going to be sharing a bed for the night. A blush crept up along his face and he tried taking slow breaths. He didn't succeed. Despite wanting to sleep earlier, he didn't think that now he would. He felt he would stay up all the night, just watching Kagome sleep.


	3. Chapter 3

_Flat Line_

Inuyasha-tachi and others belong to Rumiko Takahashi and Shounen Sunday – not me. Any people I add along the way are mine.

Don't worry – this won't get M rated Inuyasha just had some perverted thoughts back there…

* * *

Dark Corners

It was… awkward. Inuyasha and Kagome both had to lie on their sides to fit on the bed, and they ended up facing each other – their faces only inches apart. Inuyasha's heart thumped wildly at how close they were.

He was still in his trousers, but now his kimono and haori were dumped anonymously on the floor. Kagome was in a nightshirt and pyjama shorts, her long dark hair contrasting to the loose white shirt that hung from her body.

The sun had set a while ago now. Kagome wasn't intending to fall asleep just yet, so she was watching Inuyasha with narrowed eyes. Inuyasha was doing exactly the same back, not sure whether he felt comfortable or uncomfortable. He decided it was a mixture of both.

Kagome sighed. "Aren't you going to at least _try_ and get some sleep?" she asked almost pleadingly.  
Inuyasha folded his arms, his hands brushing Kagome's as he did so. He shivered, but recovered quickly. "Speak for yourself. I slept a lot this morning as it is; I'm not in the mood to rest anymore."

Kagome shifted. They were now both under the bed sheets, warm and 'cosy' in bed. But she also felt the awkwardness. She frowned. "Look, it'll be easier for me to watch over you if you're asleep – okay?"

There was silence. Kagome waited for Inuyasha's reaction, studying his face before he managed to reply. His only response was rolling away from her, no longer facing her. He hissed as he went, a dagger of pain shooting across his side. For a moment he lay locked up, almost in a foetal position, before the tenseness eased. Kagome, on impulse, wrapped her arms around him.

"You idiot, don't move so much," she told him, frowning like a mother telling off her child. Inuyasha just kept sucking in breaths. Kagome was worried he was going to start hyperventilating again. She rubbed his arm affectionately.

Then, when Inuyasha sounded like he was recovering, he started speaking. "Hey, Kagome. You know you said that surgeons have to remove my appendix before it explodes?"

Kagome looked at the back of his head, wondering what he was talking about. Her eyebrows furrowed. "You might not even _have_ appendicitis. But yeah, go on."

Inuyasha took a deep breath and then continued, clutching onto his chest as if it hurt him to breathe. "Well, what does 'removing my appendix' exactly involve?"  
Kagome stared at him, blankly, for a few moments._ Is he afraid? _She wondered.

"Kagome?"  
"Well… they'll give you this drug that will put you to sleep – and you won't be able to feel anything or wake up during surgery. But they'll have to…" Kagome paused, and then sighed. "They'll have to cut it out. Cut you open and then take it out,"

Inuyasha seemed to be frozen. Kagome nudged him slightly, smiling helplessly. "But you won't feel it, you won't even _realise_. When you wake up you'll be sewn back up and you'll be fine, honest."  
Inuyasha didn't reply.

Kagome watched him for a moment more, then gave up trying to get him to reply. She rolled away from him so they were back-to-back. The next thing she knew, she felt a pressure on her hand as he squeezed it, tightly – locking his fingers with hers. "If I do need to be, you know, cut open – promise… promise me you won't let go of my hand,"

Kagome's eyes widened. _He _is_ afraid, _she realised, automatically squeezing his hand back. She bowed her head, thinking that this was the first and only time Inuyasha had sounded so _vulnerable_. "I promise," was all she said.

Inuyasha smiled behind his hair, feeling bile rising in his throat suddenly. "Good, because… I feel a little sick," he admitted, the pains in his stomach jabbing fervently as if he were being stabbed.  
Kagome opened her mouth, then shut it. She let go of Inuyasha's hand suddenly.

Inuyasha's eyes widened. For a second he was furiously groping the bed for any signs of her hand, but Kagome was crawling out.  
_She's… leaving me? Right when I need help? Just when she promised not to let go of my hand?  
_Anger was welling up inside of Inuyasha, not to mention the need to be loved. He felt alone… Felt abandoned and at a loss.

He rolled back to face the room and where Kagome had slid out. "Kagome?"  
She was running out of the room, out of the door and down the stairs. _She just doesn't want me to puke all over her. I can't believe it! _  
A slash of pain wiped everything else out of his mind and Inuyasha was about to double over when Kagome came racing back with what looked like a large tub-sized bucket.

"Here," she said, placing it next to the bed and helping Inuyasha sit up. The pain was burning its way up his body, settling around his stomach and bubbling away deep inside of him. Boiling.  
Inuyasha shut his eyes for a brief instant and tried to shut his mouth – to hold back the acid threatening to burst free from his mouth. He was too late.

As soon as the bucket was beneath him, he threw up. He felt the entire contents of his stomach lurch forward out of his mouth, leaving a burning feeling in its wake. Kagome winced and then sat on the bed beside him, rubbing his back to try and ease the situation.

But once Inuyasha had started, he couldn't stop. The vomit kept gushing out of his mouth and he couldn't stop feeling like he wasn't in control of his body anymore. Kagome pulled the bucket up so it was resting on Inuyasha's lap and as the stench of its contents writhed up into the air, Inuyasha felt the wave of nausea worsen.

Kagome knew that this meant a hospital trip. She frowned and kept rubbing Inuyasha's back, trying to make it easier for him. She rested her head on his shoulder, using her free hand to hold his hair back from his face.

_Surely he should've finished by now, _she thought after he retched for around the fifteenth time. _He hasn't even eaten today… _  
Inuyasha stopped right when she thought that. He started panting, grasping onto the bucket.

Kagome stood up and went into the bathroom, picking up some tissues and filling an empty glass from the counter with water. When she came back, she saw Inuyasha's face. He was ghostly pale, like a corpse, and his normally bright eyes were glazed over and distant. And the worst thing was… there was blood around his mouth.

Kagome nearly dropped the objects in her hands in fright. She placed the glass of water on the bedside table and stepped over to Inuyasha, using the tissue to wipe away the acid and blood from his mouth. Inuyasha kept staring, blankly, forward.

When Kagome pulled away, she saw that there wasn't only vomit in the bucket – but blood. Inuyasha had been coughing up blood as well, and she hadn't even noticed. She took the bucket off of his lap hastily and wrapped her arms around him, pulling him close to her. She buried her head in his shoulder, sobbing without the tears.

She was afraid. And she knew he was afraid too. The doctor's words were coming back now: take him to a hospital if he throws up or coughs up blood. Did both count?  
Kagome composed herself and pulled away, staring at Inuyasha critically.  
He looked like a zombie. Only then did Kagome realise he was hyperventilating, struggling for breath again.

Kagome started panicking, pushing him back against the bed. "Inuyasha, breathe. Just try to breathe for a moment," But the hanyou was struggling. His hand was in the air, searching for hers.  
Kagome quickly clutched onto it, and turned to yell down the stairs – the tears beginning to well up in her eyes. "_Mama_! Mama, call an ambulance, quick!"

Inuyasha's breathing was reduced to quick gasps of air that were frequent and cut off. His eyes were wide and Kagome could tell that the pain was back, only worse than it had been before. And now there was blood blossoming in the corners of his mouth. What if he started choking on his own blood?  
Kagome hoped Mama was phoning the hospital without question.

She picked up the bandana she had tied around his head earlier and retied it, trying to keep his identity safe for when the ambulance arrived. It was a rush job, and she was too upset to pay much attention.  
She squeezed Inuyasha's hand. "Inuyasha, breathe with me. Take slow breaths, Inuyasha – it'll be okay,"

Inuyasha turned his head from where he lay on the bed. Blood was running out of the side of his lips and down his chin. Then, in between pants of breath, he managed to say: "Don't… let… go… of… my… hand. 'Kay?"

Kagome felt the world around her dissolve. _He's going to need surgery! Wait, what if his appendix has already exploded? What are we going to do? What am _I_ going to do without him? _For now, all she could do was nod and try to smile. "I won't. I won't leave you, Inuyasha."

The half-demon searched her eyes for a moment, and then a light seemed to go out of him. Everything was going dark… he couldn't keep his eyes open any more. His chest was shuddering with every breath, and every time he tried to take a decent gulp of air there was a pain across his lungs that kept him from taking in anymore. He wondered if he was dying.

He squeezed Kagome's hand, trying to open his mouth to tell her what he needed to tell her – just in case he didn't wake up again.

He was too late. He was forced into the dark corners of his mind before he could say the three simple words that he could never find the strength to say. _I love you. I love you, Kagome. _

Everything went black.

* * *

When the ambulance arrived, it was in the form of a helicopter. Because of the stairs that led up to the Sunset Shrine, the hospital thought it would be quicker to use the air-ambulance. Now, the paramedics flooded into Kagome's room – taking in the sight of a teenage girl crying as she clutched onto a boy's hand. A boy with white hair.

He was unconscious, his chest rising at an abnormal rate.  
The paramedics knew all about the situation. Now they had to get to work. A female appeared through the doorway carrying a stretcher with another paramedic, which was set up on Kagome's floor before they managed to settle Inuyasha on it. Kagome refused to let go of his hand until one of the men had to pry her loose.

"You're not doing him any good, love, and you'll just get in the way." He reassured, after tugging Kagome away from the half-demon lying stiff on the stretcher.  
Tears streamed down Kagome's face, ones she couldn't hold back. _What'll I do without him? What'll I do without him? What'll I do without him?_

Once the paramedics had given Inuyasha an immediate check over, they hurriedly made their way out of the house and into the helicopter, Kagome running along desperately behind them. Clearly the air-ambulance didn't have enough room for her inside, but she _needed_ to go along with them – she'd promised Inuyasha to be by his side, to hold his hand.

"_Wait_! Wait, please, I have to come with you!" Kagome cried, clutching onto the paramedic who had pried her away from Inuyasha in her room. The paramedic turned and tried to give her a comforting look, but in the end it amounted to nothing. He clambered into the helicopter and Kagome was told to step back.

Mama ran out of the house and pulled Kagome away from the air-vehicle, its propellers starting to spin. Kagome couldn't contain herself. She started to howl. "No! No, you've gotta let me _go_! Mama, please – Inuyasha's in there! I promised him I wouldn't let go of his hand, I _promised_!"

Mama just rocked her daughter as the helicopter launched into the air, off of the hill of the Higurashi household, and headed towards Tokyo General Hospital. Kagome clenched her fists in her anger, the bitterness rising up inside of her. _I have to get to the hospital. _

Kagome launched herself out of her mother's arms and ran towards the shed, digging her bike out of the outhouse before taking the steps of the Sunset Shrine three at a time, tugging the bike along behind her.

_Inuyasha. Inuyasha. Inuyasha. Inuyasha. Inuyasha. Inuyasha. Inuyasha. Inuyasha… _

She didn't feel comfortable leaving him alone with humans who didn't know him – didn't understand him. She had to be by his side, she had to be there _now_! She reached the bottom of the steps and clambered onto her bike, beginning to pedal faster than she had ever pedalled in her life – heading for the hospital.

"I promised him," she gasped out as she rode, racing down the streets at a dangerous speed. It was raining and she was still wearing her nightshirt and shorts – but she didn't care. She didn't care because Inuyasha was lying possibly dying on a stretcher in a helicopter – which was most likely landing at the hospital now. And he was there alone, without her by his side. The one thing he was afraid of…

Kagome ducked her head against the rain, the water around her mixing with the tears clinging to her cheeks. "Just hold on, Inuyasha," Kagome whispered as she went, continually pedalling. Her expression was one of grim determination. "I'm coming,"


	4. Chapter 4

_Flat Line_

Inuyasha-tachi and others belong to Rumiko Takahashi and Shounen Sunday – not me.

Sorry about the mean cliffy. Yes, poor Kagome wasn't allowed in the air-ambulance to grant moral support, not that Inu would have noticed since he was out-for-the-count. So, let the hospital continue with its mean schemes, shall we?

* * *

My Heart Beats Still

Kagome stood, panting, in front of the reception desk. The receptionist stared at her sceptically, noting her lack of dress and the bagginess of her nightshirt. She said nothing and kept staring at the teenage girl with her lips pursed.  
Kagome placed her hands on the counter, sucking in deep breaths. "I'm looking for a boy about seventeen." She rushed, furiously looking around to see if she saw Inuyasha or any of the attending paramedics.

When she saw the woman didn't say anything, she began again. "He has long white hair down to his waist. His name's Inuyasha, he just came in a while ago from the Sunset Shrine in the air-ambulance. I think it was appendicitis," Kagome gasped out, feeling her heart pound in her chest furiously.

The woman kept staring at her, then looked away, uninterested. "Are you his sister or something?" she asked, chewing harshly on a piece of gum. Kagome shook her head, no. "I'm, uh, his… girlfriend," It wasn't exactly a lie, but it wasn't exactly the truth either. She didn't know where she stood with Inuyasha – but she couldn't say 'friend' because the receptionist could turn her away.

The woman on duty sighed heavily and waved a hand. "Check Halley's ward – that's where the emergencies are sent before they're moved along. They'll tell you where he is,"

Kagome took a deep breath. "Arigato," she said, before running out of the reception and down the corridor that read 'Access to Halley's and Juniper via stairs'.  
_Just hang on, Inuyasha. Don't give up on me yet… _

* * *

"I'm afraid he's already gone into surgery," the doctor waiting outside Inuyasha's room said. Kagome had been led here by the woman on Halley's reception, but then she had seen his bed empty and feared the worst… that had been when the doctor arrived to smooth things over. 

Kagome sagged, feeling the emptiness engulf her. _No… He's having surgery all alone, and I promised him… _"Is there–?" Kagome began, feebly. "Is there any way I can see him? It's just that I promised to be there for him – to hold his hand. He's afraid of being vulnerable like this, he's normally such a strong person, I–"

The doctor smiled sympathetically and put a hand on her shoulder. "I'm sorry, but that just isn't possible. There are health and safety rules that prevent us from letting you in there."

Kagome opened her mouth to say something and found her throat dry. She fell down onto the row of chairs outside the room Inuyasha was going to be set in. She took a few shaky breaths and then bowed her head, defeated.  
_I failed him…_

The doctor sat down beside her. "Never mind – you can help me. I need to contact his parents, tell them what's going on here. I'm not sure whether they know…"  
"He doesn't _have_ any parents. They died when he was little," Kagome said, covering her face with her hands.

Shock crossed across the man's face for a moment and then he looked agitated. "Is there any other member of the family I can call?"  
Kagome thought briefly of Sesshoumaru. She didn't even know why. Sure, he and Inuyasha were brothers – but Sesshoumaru probably wouldn't care if Inuyasha dropped dead. He'd only be disappointed it wasn't him who brought about his demise. And she doubted the doctor could get hold of Sesshoumaru, who was in the Sengoku Jidai. _Where Inuyasha should be…_

"No. Inuyasha doesn't have any family. He lives with mine."  
The doctor's eyes narrowed suddenly in suspicion. "Oh? And who are you to him? His foster-sister?" he asked.  
For the second time that day, Kagome found herself spinning a lie. "I'm his girlfriend," she said, softly, scared that she was jinxing her hopes for the future.

The doctor's eyes widened and then he lost the suspicion in his eyes. He patted her hand. "So _you're_ Kagome," he grinned.  
Kagome turned to look at him, shocked. _How does he know my name? _The question must have been written all over her face, because the doctor started speaking again.

"That was all the boy said while he was going into surgery. He was unconscious – presumably – but he couldn't help repeating your name. The other attending surgeons got over cautious and gave him a large dose of anaesthetic, just in case he woke up during the operation. But he'll be fine – don't worry,"

Kagome didn't feel reassured. _That was all the boy said while he was going into surgery… Kagome_. Kagome felt ashamed. He had known. He had known she wasn't by his side. She really had failed him, and he would know when he woke up never to trust her again. She'd broken her promise.

Kagome felt a tear roll down her cheek and she wiped it away hastily, not wanting to cry in front of a stranger. She frowned. "When will the surgery be over?" she asked, clasping her hands in her lap.  
The doctor stood up, signifying the end of the conversation. "You can't really tell on operations like these, but it should take around another hour – maybe slightly less. Do you want me to get you a drink?"

Kagome nodded wordlessly. She looked down into her lap, thinking only of the silver-haired hanyou who lay unconscious and begging for her to be at his side. She hid her face in her hands and wept.

* * *

_Inuyasha caressed the side of Kagome's face and smiled. "Kagome, it's okay, really."  
But it wasn't okay – not for a minute. Kagome had left him right when he'd needed her. Right when he'd needed her most. _

"_Inuyasha, I was so afraid. I was so worried about you…"  
"It's all right, Kagome. I'm better now. Things can go back to the way they were,"  
But Kagome didn't want things to go back to the way they were – she wanted more. She wanted _him_. Now that she had almost lost him, she was afraid of what would happen if she lost him for good. _

_She dug her face into his chest, sobbing. "Oh, Inuyasha. Don't you understand? Don't you–?" She stopped. Something was wrong. And Kagome saw what was wrong when she looked down. _Why is Inuyasha dressed in his kimono? He wasn't wearing it when he went into surgery; he was only wearing his trousers. And… why is his kimono turning red?

_Kagome stepped back away from Inuyasha, her lips wobbling in fright. When she looked back up, blood was dripping out of the corners of Inuyasha's mouth. His eyes were narrowed, but they were glazed and distant. His skin was paler than the shade his bloody kimono had once been. _

_He looked like a zombie. _

_For some reason, his kimono fluttered open and Kagome saw the long gash cutting across his body. It wasn't sewn shut; it was open and bleeding dangerously. Kagome felt like she was going to throw up._

"_I-Inuyasha?"  
"You left me, Kagome… You left me,"  
"Inuyasha, I'm sorry."_

_But he was coming closer. His eyes were darkening and a smile was painting its way across his face. Kagome let out a squeal of fright, falling back away from the hanyou. _

"_I need you, Kagome. I need you now."  
He grabbed her, his claws piercing her skin as his grip on her tightened. Kagome yelped in pain and tried to avert her eyes, but couldn't. She thought for a moment that her heart had stopped beating. "Inuyasha, please…"_

_It was too late. The hanyou was raining kisses down the side of her throat, fiercely. "I need you, Kagome…" _

_Kagome's heart was pounding so much that she thought she was going to throw up. Somewhere through the haze of confusion someone was calling her name – trying to drag her back to reality. The gentle touches on her throat slowly turning to harsh bites of lust were causing her to fall back away from the real world. _

This is only a dream, _Kagome realised. _I've… I've gotta wake up.

* * *

Kagome didn't feel sane anymore.Her eyes flickered open and for a moment the world around her was blurry. Then she focused and saw the doctor in front of her, smiling from his spot on the floor. He was crouching, his hand on her shoulder revealing where he had attempted to wake her. 

"Inuyasha's out of theatre now. He's in his room, resting."

Kagome blinked furiously. _Inuyasha? _She stood up, looking around and realising she had fallen asleep. She dusted herself off and nodded wordlessly, heading towards the door on her left.

Sure enough, Inuyasha was inside, lying on the bed with his silvery hair spread out about him like angel's wings. He looked so young and vulnerable when he slept, his top lip indenting his lower lip slightly. He was hooked up to a few machines with tubes coming in and out of him, making Kagome cringe.

She pulled a chair up beside his bed, just watching him. She'd already forgotten her dream. She placed her hand on his, going back to her original promise. "Inuyasha," she said softly, brushing his hair out of his face. The hanyou didn't stir.

Kagome sighed and looked down, hoping that he was able to hear her. The machine opposite her displaying his heart rate and beeping in time with his pulse was annoying, slightly, but she took it in her stride. Kagome felt like she had to confess everything, suddenly. Everything – all her feelings.

"Inuyasha, I– I'm sorry. I'm so sorry I wasn't there for you. I tried to be, I really did, but it was like the whole world was against me! I wanted to be there – I really did. But I couldn't be. So I'm here now, Inuysaha. I'm here now, and I promise you – I'll make up for it," she rubbed his hand with her thumb, fresh tears shining in her eyes.

Kagome bowed her head, taking a steadying breath. "I – I love you, Inuyasha. I… I don't know what I'd do if I lost you," Her hand tightened on Inuyasha's and she half expected him to squeeze back. He didn't. Instead, he began to turn cold.

Kagome looked up suddenly and realised his lips were turning blue. "Inu…yasha?" She glanced up at the heart monitor and saw that his heart rate was picking up in speed. Kagome's head jerked back down to stare at Inuyasha, and she sucked in a deep breath, preparing to scream. And then the tears started to spill and she clutched onto him tightly, shaking him.

"INUYASHA!" she screamed at the top of her lungs. It was useless. He was slipping away from her, falling into a void she couldn't follow. The machine's beeping was so close together now… and then the explosion came in Kagome's mind – meltdown – when the beep was just a continuous sound and the line on the monitor was flat.

"HELP! SOMEBODY HELP ME!" Kagome yelled, pounding her hand against the emergency button on the wall. "_HELP_!"  
She looked down at Inuyasha, tears blurring her vision. His chest was flat, he wasn't breathing. His lips were parted with a blue-purple tint and his face was so pale.

An unfamiliar doctor burst into the room, surveyed the situation and called out into the corridor for the resuscitation unit.  
Kagome realised she was a little more than hysterical. She was clutching hold of Inuyasha, shaking him over and over to try and wake him up. A nurse somehow managed to come up behind her and tug her away – separating she and Inuyasha for around the fourth time that night.

Kagome sent a fleeting glance in Inuyasha's direction, screaming at the top of her lungs to be left alone. "Inuyasha, don't leave me! Don't leave me, please – I'm begging you!"

Two doctors came running through the open door, dragging the resuscitation unit behind them. Then they unloaded the two handheld instruments and stood over Inuyasha, glancing at the screen. He was flat-lining… and Kagome didn't know what to do.

"Inuyasha! Inuyasha, please, I– I _love_ you!" Kagome sobbed, feeling the helplessness wash over her. Then she recoiled in horror as they placed the rounded instruments on Inuyasha's chest and sent a bolt of electricity through his body. Kagome let out a shriek as Inuyasha's upper body jumped into the air and then settled back down, before the doctors did the same again and again.

Kagome couldn't bear to watch. She looked away, biting her bottom lip to stop herself from squealing. She collapsed in the nurse's arms. _What am I going to do without him? _She wondered, clutching onto her chest and realising that her heart was pounding so much that it was beginning to hurt. She realised, distantly, that it was breaking. _I… I can't live without him…_

She glanced at Inuyasha's face, the tears still streaming now as his body leapt into the air with another shock of electricity. _Inuyasha, _she communicated with her mind, _I can't live without you…_


	5. Chapter 5

_Flat Line_

Inuyasha-tachi and others belong to Rumiko Takahashi. You know the rest.  
Okay. I know I have you all worried now. And I'm sorry I didn't upload for ages, but this chapter kept needing reworks.

I'm not revealing anything. Yes, yes you shall need tissues, people – but maybe not a whole towel. I did have writer's block but my friend Tom immensely helped me out.

This chapter is dedicated to him because he kept nagging me for the next chapter and said quotes from a chapter I had not yet written to set the tears flowing. And it is also dedicated to all of you who reviewed. Honestly people, this plot has me choked up – I don't know whether I'll be able to write without balling my eyes out.

* * *

Hai - Yes  
Gome - Sorry  
-san - Miss/Mr (I think)  
Hanyou - half-demon  
Miko - priestess  
Sengoku Jidai - feudal era

* * *

Of Broken Promises and Bold Confessions

All was still in the room marked 7B, of Halley's Ward Tokyo General Hospital. The doctors hadn't wanted the girl present to see if something like this happened – and now that she was there, here with them – suffering – they had no idea what trauma she was going through.

The doctor who Kagome knew turned to face her, his face so infinitely sad that Kagome half expected herself to fall unconscious on the spot. His soft grey eyes were sympathetic and she swore they harboured tears.

Kagome was still collapsed in the nurse's arms, who was now trying to steady her somehow. The teenage miko had long stopped looking at Inuyasha, and had been stood judging the expressions on the doctor's faces to tell her the news.

The doctor, whose name was Laisuko as his name badge revealed, stepped over to Kagome and averted his eyes, not wanting to look at her reaction. Instead he found himself staring at the silver-haired boy lying motionless on the hospital bed. The other doctors were packing away the resuscitation unit, shaking their heads and trying not to look in Kagome's direction.

Laisuko found that Kagome needed someone to look her in the face and tell her. She needed to know – she needed to understand. He glanced at her and then held her gaze. "I'm so sorry," he whispered. "We tried everything we could – everything – but… it just wasn't enough. The damage to his internal organs was just too great. There was nothing we could have done,"

Kagome's eyes widened. "B-But the surgery…"  
"He had not been in surgery long when I woke you, and I could only assume that his body had been flushed. His appendix must have exploded on the way to the hospital. The surgery did not detect the damage. I'm sorry,"

Kagome's mind turned blank and she buckled to the floor, her legs crumbling beneath her – no longer able to support her. Inuyasha was gone. He was gone… Nothing felt real any more.  
_Heh, I'm not _that_ easy to kill, _he'd said so many times. But he had been. Just one click of the fingers and he was gone, forever. Kagome clenched her fists until her knuckles turned white, but she couldn't feel it. Her entire body was numb.

The tears ran out of her eyes and streamed down her face, erupting sobs from somewhere deep inside of her. The nurse behind her stared at Laisuko and shook her head, covering her mouth with her hand and leaving the room. The doctor, in return, glanced down at Kagome. "I'll… leave you two alone," he muttered, before turning. He looked back once as he left, but no more. The girl needed her privacy.

Kagome tried hard to hold in the scream that was threatening to force its way out of her. She covered her mouth with the back of her hand, trying to bite it down in order to suppress her pain. She couldn't. "Inu…" she sobbed, pulling herself up from the floor. "Inuyasha…"

The hanyou lay on the hospital bed, motionless. In the commotion the heart monitor had been switched off, and the absence of sound made Kagome feel truly alone. Empty.  
She sat on the side of the bed as she had earlier when Inuyasha was lying on her own bed, and now she realised the reality of the situation.

Inuyasha wasn't going to be there ever again. There was going to be no more of him protecting her… and lying about it afterwards. No more moments between them, no more stupid arguments, no more of him being around. No more strong heartbeat while she leant against his chest and fell asleep to the sound of his breathing. No more catching sly glimpses at his face and seeing that he was staring back…

Kagome grabbed hold of Inuyasha's limp body and sobbed, falling down on top of him and trembling with grief. "Inuyasha!" Kagome wept, shaking her head against his chest. She couldn't help thinking that it was all her fault. What if she'd been there and kept her promise? What if she had stayed by his side – would he have pulled through?

The half-demon's body was stiff; his skin so cold and pale. He looked so peaceful… and yet still he looked so vulnerable. And beautiful. Kagome had never seen him like this before. He seemed to glow, and he looked so perfect. She found herself hating him for it. He had left her all alone. What was she going to do? How were they supposed to defeat Naraku and complete the jewel now?

She knew it was selfish. She knew it wasn't fair to think like that – but she was summing up her life without him. There was _nothing_ she could do without him, not since she had first met him. She'd been doomed from the start to fall hopelessly in love with him, and for what? To have her heart broken so many times.

"Inuyasha," she whispered, giving up on shaking him and just lying there on top of him for a while, trembling with the pain of losing him. It was all over. Everything. Kagome couldn't think what to do – what to say. She didn't have tears enough for this moment, and crying wouldn't be able to fix anything unless she cried herself to sleep and woke up to a new world – where this had only been a dream.

"Inuyasha, I love you. I love you – I love you so much," Kagome whispered, her voice thick. But of course, it was too late. Her feelings had come out at the wrong time, and now Inuyasha would never hear those words – never know that someone cared so much for him that they were willing to do anything to bring him back. Anything at all.

Even technology couldn't bring Inuyasha back from death. It wasn't meant to be. He was gone now.

In the midst of her tears, as she lay there in her own grief, Kagome felt soft fingers stroke back her hair, fondly. She let the hand stay there – unsure of where it came from yet enjoying the touch, distantly. It was as if Inuyasha was back with her, just for that one moment. Was it a doctor? Her mother?  
Taking a deep breath, she straightened and wiped her eyes, blinking away the tears so she could look.

Then she heard a voice – a quiet, sad voice. Vulnerable and weak. "W-Why are you… crying, Kagome?" the stranger asked, rasping. Kagome felt the one hand still massaging her head while another was now wiping away the tears on her cheeks. Her eyes began to focus, and slowly her brain began to process the information.

There was no one else in the room. She was all alone, with a corpse. Was it a ghost? Or was it her imagination? Or was it…?  
_That voice… that voice…_ her mind kept screaming, but Kagome couldn't believe – _wouldn't_ believe…

Inuyasha was staring at her with brilliant amber eyes that shone like liquid gold in the overhead light. They were _open_, not closed. A lazy smile played across his face. His lips were slowly losing their bluish hue and the tan was slowly coming back to his cheeks.

Kagome felt as if she'd fallen down a cliff. There was nothing beneath her and only air. The world wasn't right anymore and everything wasn't as it should be. Her lips parted in shock and she pulled away from the hanyou.

"No…" she whimpered, pulling away. "You're dead…"  
He was weak, she could tell. He could hardly keep his hands steady and now they were drooping, leaning on her body for support. He was struggling to keep his eyes open. And he was hurt, his eyes widening and his mouth opening in confusion. He touched the side of her face, his eyes boring into hers. Then he didn't look so unsure anymore. "What… happened, Kagome?" he asked softly.

Kagome glanced down at Inuyasha's chest and saw it was rising and falling – he was _breathing_. He wasn't a ghost. He wasn't a figment of her imagination. He was real.  
"Kagome, what–?"  
She couldn't suppress it any longer. She pounced on him, gripping hold of either shoulder and screaming at him.

"You had me so worried, you _moron_! I thought you were dead, I thought you were dead!" she yelled, shaking him so hard that his head jerked dangerously.

"W-Wha–?"  
"I can't believe you! I can't believe–!" Her anger faded, and then she was just sobbing into his chest, her hands loosening their grip on his shoulders. She pressed her face into his body, feeling the familiarity come back to her. He was cold, but she knew he would warm up. She knew he would get better. He was alive, that was all that mattered.

A hand ran along her back, and a slow smile crept up on Inuyasha's face. When Kagome looked up she saw how tired he was – his eyes were drooping shut. "It's okay…" he breathed, leaning back into the pillows. "Because you're here. And I won't leave you, Kagome – I promise,"

He shut his eyes, going limp. Kagome stared at him for a moment to make sure his chest was still rising and falling, and then she sat back. Had that really happened? Was she sure she wasn't going mad? She didn't know. He was a half-demon, and she knew he could heal himself. But was that what really saved him from death? Could he still heal even when his heart had stopped beating?

She didn't understand.

Instead, rather dazed, she got up off of the bed. The ground greeted her feet and she felt as if she were about to keel over. She was trembling.  
Inuyasha was lying on the hospital bed, still breathing. His face was peaceful and no longer pale. He looked as he had earlier while lying on her bed, sound asleep. Like a child.

Kagome couldn't hide the grin beginning to emerge on her face. _He's alive! I can't believe he's really alive! _New tears were flowing down her cheeks, but now they were ones of happiness. She felt elated.  
Running outside, she searched for Laisuko amongst the attending doctors. She had to tell him. She had to let him know that Inuyasha was okay.

A bubble of joy was growing inside of her that refused to be penetrated.  
Inuyasha was always going to be there. He was always going to protect her and lie about it afterwards. There would always be moments between them, hopefully less of the stupid arguments, and more of him being around.

And she would hear his heartbeat while he held her and she would fall asleep beside him. And maybe… maybe when they looked at each other – they wouldn't blush and turn away. They would smile.

* * *

Inuyasha was the prince. The doctors could not get over the fact that he had recovered without the resuscitation unit. They guessed that it had been a late jolt of electricity that did it, but they weren't quite sure. He was a miracle.  
Inuyasha, himself, was getting better with every passing second. The rest appeared to have done him some good as when Kagome walked back in he was back to his original self.

The nurse who had held Kagome earlier was so happy that she could not stop talking. Both Kagome and Inuyasha silently cursed her. But the happiest doctor was Laisuko. He had a genuine smile on his face when he saw the half-demon sat up in bed.  
"Welcome back," he grinned.

When the parade of doctors had gone and Kagome's mum was called, they finally left Inuyasha and Kagome alone again – Laisuko being the one to usher everyone out. Kagome knew it would not be long until her mother arrived, so she treasured the time they had while it lasted. Maybe something between them would change…

Inuyasha leant back in the pillows, eyes narrowed. "I don't know what all the fuss is about." He sniffed. "I'm a half-demon. You can't kill me,"  
"Well you were dead, mister." Kagome snapped, surprised that there wasn't a lump in her throat or a quaver in her voice when she said that. "You had me worried sick,"

Inuyasha sniffed. "Whatever. And _you_, don't go thinking that because I'm gone you can sit there and cry over me. Move on with your life already,"  
Kagome, who had been turned away at this point, turned back – surprised. "H-Huh?"  
"If I'm gone, I'm gone. There's nothing you can do about it. So why bother crying? It won't change a thing."

She was dazed. Confused. _Why bother crying?  
_She lowered her eyes. "The same thing can be said for you, Inuyasha." She whispered.  
"What's that supposed to mean?" he snapped back, suddenly angry.  
Kagome shut her eyes and continued softly. "I'll tell you what I mean – you can't let go of the past. It hurts to realise what could have been, and it hurts to remember – so you try and hold on to what you had. Crying makes the pain go away, it makes me _feel_ better. And you – seeing Kikyo – doesn't that make _you_ feel better? Doesn't that make the pain go away? I have ways of dealing with death, I cry. But you – you let it drive you. You make it so you freeze over and don't forget the past by keeping it in the present.

"For those moments back then, Inuyasha, I knew you were dead. I knew I would have to make a life without you. I _knew_ that and I wasn't happy about it – but I was prepared to at least _try_. I thought you would want me to live for you. So don't you agree that you should live for Kikyo… and for me? Not try and throw your life away for her? She doesn't _own_ you, Inuyasha, she's in the past. So stop trying to keep her in the present. Just…" Kagome trailed off, shutting her eyes.

Inuyasha's face was pale. He looked frightened – terrified, even. He was clutching so hard on to the bed sheets, his eyes wide. And he also looked guilty.  
Kagome sighed. "Just let it out," she finished, suddenly feeling self conscious. "Just… cry a little. 'Cause you know… _I'll_ still be there for you,"

The half-demon in front of her sat, motionless, for a moment. Then his face crumpled and he averted his eyes. "I…" he began, but Kagome leant in close to him – cutting him off.  
"I know it hurts – I _know_ that. I would have done anything if it'd brought you back, but I knew, then, that I couldn't. So I cried for you and began to hate myself for what happened. But that's wrong. No one should feel to blame, and neither should you for what happened with Kikyo.

"That was a long time ago, Inuyasha. She isn't the same woman anymore, and I think you know that. You're just afraid of letting go. I know what she means to you – what she meant to you – I understand that. I know I'm not Kikyo's replacement, and I know that I'm _not_ Kikyo. But I also know that I love you, Inuyasha. I do."

Inuyasha sat, frozen. He didn't feel empty; he didn't know what he felt. He was afraid, upset, and in a lot of emotional pain – but he was also, deep down, happy. Of course he was happy; Kagome had told him she loved him. _And_… _I love you too…_  
He bowed his head, shadowing his eyes. _Kagome…_

She was too quick for him. She clutched the sides of his face and turned him to look at her. And then her lips pressed against his, and Inuyasha's eyes widened for an instant. But the kiss was soft and he couldn't help but shut his eyes and fall into it, his hand brushing through Kagome's hair, affectionately.

_I love you, Inuyasha… I do… _she'd said.

A tear rolled down his cheek. He didn't know where it came from, he didn't even realise until Kagome pulled away and smiled, catching the tear on her finger. Then their eyes locked and her smile widened. "It's okay," she told him. "It's okay to cry,"

He wasn't sure. Instead, he did the only thing he could do. He collapsed into her arms, burying his face in her hair. "Kagome… Oh, Kagome…" he sobbed, but the tears wouldn't flow. A moment of weakness had passed, and now all he could do was say her name.

He felt ashamed and guilty, but he also had never felt so anchored before. He belonged here with her. It didn't matter whether it was in the Sengoku Jidai or the future, all that mattered was that he was by her side. She cared about him so much, and he cared so much about her. He couldn't let her go – he wouldn't. Surely she knew that.

"Kagome…"  
"Shh, its okay... Just let go," Kagome whispered, cradling him. And then his walls buckled and Inuyasha felt the tears trace hot paths down his cheeks. He couldn't believe how stupid he'd been. How wrong. Kagome was his future, Kikyo was his past. He should've been able to see that.

He couldn't help himself as he began raining kisses down her neck; feeling the need to hold her grow every time his lips brushed against her skin. Nothing else existed in the world for those few moments. It was just he and she, alone, and in their own arms. They were all that mattered. They were the past, present and the future – and they had each other.

Kagome's eyes opened slowly. She knew her mum would be in the hospital by now, searching for her. She looked down at the hanyou and smiled, raising his head. Inuyasha's eyes flashed for a moment, and then he smiled back at her, softly. "Kagome, I…"

The door opened. Both of them turned to see Laisuko standing in the doorway, an apologetic smile on his face. "Kagome-san, your mother is here." He told her. "She's waiting outside in the corridor for you."

"Tell her I'll be staying here tonight. I'll use the visitor bed," Kagome replied, motioning to the fold-down bed along the wall. Laisuko opened his mouth to argue, then sagged. "Kagome-san… those are usually only open to adults, and–" he stopped, seeing the intent in her face. She wasn't visiting, she was _staying_ – there was nothing he could do or say to change that.

He sighed and then nodded. "I'll tell her," he muttered before turning out of the door and shutting it behind him.  
Inuyasha stared up at Kagome, relieved. "You won't leave me?" he asked almost disbelievingly.

She turned back to him, plastering a smile on her face. _I have some major promise-keeping to make up to. _She realised. _After all, I didn't hold his hand, did I?_

She nodded, yes. "Uh huh. And since your bed's got wheels, maybe I can move you just that little bit closer." She winked.  
Inuyasha grimaced. "And you'll hold my hand?"  
Kagome froze, feeling her heart beat wildly. Then she nodded her head again. "Hai,"

She looked away, biting her bottom lip. Then she bowed her head. "Gome, Inuyasha."  
He blinked furiously in confusion. "Why? What have you done?" he asked, shaking her slightly.  
Kagome looked back at him, her eyes dark. "I didn't keep my promise. I… I wasn't there to hold your hand."

There was silence. She half expected him to look away and be extremely hurt. The other half expected him to yell at her. He did neither of these things. Instead he stared at her blankly for a moment before smiling. "It's okay," he grinned. "So long as you'll be there every night after this – by my side,"

Kagome stiffened, stunned, before grinning back at him – her eyes sparkling. She clutched hold of his hand, a blush rising across her face. "I promise! And I really mean that, Inuyasha. I–"  
He waved a hand, angry. "Yeah, yeah. Forget the promise crap. Where's my kiss?"

The miko stopped, shocked. Inuyasha was staring at her, looking arrogant in both a flirtatious and amused way. Kagome blinked furiously a few moments before seeing that he didn't really expect a kiss, he was… trying to break the ice for something.

Inuyasha grew more serious and folded his arms. "Kagome, I…" he began, but then trailed off. He bowed his head, trying to battle away his morals for a moment. Kagome could almost see the cogs turning in his mind, before he growled angrily. "Never mind,"

She watched him for a moment more before folding down the visitor bed and wheeling the hospital bed closer to her side. She knew it was the early hours of the morning and she wanted some rest – not sure whether Inuyasha felt the same, yet still wanting him near her despite that.  
He didn't complain.

She knew her mother would be going home to get some things for Inuyasha, or would be being told by the doctors what happened. Either way, she had some time alone with the hanyou for a little longer.

Kagome didn't care that she had no sheets or pillow, she was exhausted. Lying down, her eyes were drooping shut as she looked over at Inuyasha. She smiled limply. "Hey,"  
Inuyasha, whose own eyes were slowly shutting, smiled back. "Hey,"

She reached out with her hand and he reached back until their fingers were locked together. They lay there silently, hand in hand. Kagome knew, then, that things were different. Maybe they would hide it a little longer, but she and Inuyasha were at a whole new stage in their relationship. They had, most likely, established a _real_ relationship.  
Kagome grinned.

"'Night," she whispered, shutting her eyes. Inuyasha squeezed her hand, shutting his own eyes. Then he sucked in a breath before saying what he could not earlier. "Kagome… What I meant to say earlier… I – I love you too," he whispered, his eyes so tightly shut that his face was crumpled.

Kagome opened her eyes lazily and smiled, caressing his hand with her thumb. "I know." Was all she said.

And then they lay there like that, the two of them falling asleep beside one another with their fingers interlocked. Their arms drooped as they got some well deserved rest, yet their hands did not unlock.  
Inuyasha knew that every night from now on would be like this. They would be together, bound to each other willingly. Hand in hand.

They were meant to be. There were no two ways about it.

* * *

**END**

I hope you enjoyed that. I nearly cried while writing this last chapter and please comment to say how you reacted to it. I'm sorry for the mushy gushy ending but we love the fluff, don't we?

Out of ten? What do you say this story is? One for rubbish, ten for great.

Thanks for all the reviews on this. This has been my most commented story yet. I love you all!


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